“No-Dig” Growing

The Grow Up team

No raised beds? No problem with this super easy No Dig Growing approach

What is "No-Dig" Growing?

No-Dig growing is a great solution if you don’t have the space, or the desire, to create traditional raised beds. The no-dig method means you can just crack on and start growing the fruit and vegetables you want, but without spending a load of money on materials for raised beds.

No dig growing simply involves putting an organic base layer over the grass in your garden before planting that area up. The base layer can be anything from straw to compost, but we prefer cardboard. This bed can then become your main hassle free growing area.

Creating your No Dig bed

Find an area of your garden that you’d like to use for planting your fruit and vegetables. Ideally, the area needs to have at least 6 hours of sunshine a day, and should be away from where any budding footballers like to practice.

Firstly, put a layer of cardboard down to cover the whole area where the bed will sit. The cardboard stops the weeds coming through from the grass beneath. Large, brown cardboard boxes work best here, so save up those delivery boxes for a couple of weeks and you’ll have plenty to get started. You can also use several layers of newspaper, with cardboard and other organic material on top if you wish.

Next, you’ll need to lay a layer of compost. This should be at least 20cm deep. If you have your own composting system this is a great opportunity to use what you have made, otherwise, just use some peat-free compost from your local garden centre. Something like this is ideal.

Once you have piled the compost onto the cardboard in your chosen area, then you’re good to start planting. Some people like to pop some wooden edges to the area as an aesthetic touch, but there is no need for the extra expense if you don’t want to. You could also box the bed in using loose bricks, but the idea is to make a quick, easy and cheap growing patch. We want you to immediately start growing your own fruit and vegetables, so it doesn’t need to look like the Chelsea Flower Show!

Planting in a No Dig bed

Planting is equally as easy – just pop your seeds and plants in and keep them well watered. Don’t worry about the cardboard stopping the food taking root. Organic material like cardboard is brilliant because it’ll biodegrade over time and allow the plants to root into the soil.

You can grow a huge range of food in your no dig bed, but in particular they’re the perfect place for lettuces and rocket, courgettes and strawberries. As you would with regular beds, just be mindful of pests and weeds. Other than that it’s an incredibly easy way to get started.

Food grown in no dig beds often yield much bigger and better crops. (Warning – Science bit!) No dig bed crops tend to be better as they root easily to the fresh compost, and therefore grow faster and bigger. In addition, as the area has not been dug up, it’s full of organisms that naturally live in the soil. These organisms help your plants access nutrients and moisture needed to grow strong and healthy. When we dig a regular bed, these organisms get pushed lower into the ground so they can’t help with rooting.

So there we have it; no dig beds are a winning way all round of growing your own fruit and vegetables. You don’t need any specialist equipment, just a little bit of elbow grease and enthusiasm. Plus, what a brilliant way to upcycle all those cardboard boxes!

You can also check out our No Dig Growing video (LINK) for more info. Enjoy your no dig growing, and remember to tag us on social if you’re particularly proud of any food you produce and want to shout about it!